Audley Rural

Audley Rural is a parish of Staffordshire, England, located four miles to the north-west of the town of Newcastle-under-Lyme. It is predominantly a rural area, of which Audley is the centre. Other settlements are Alsagers Bank, Bignall End, Halmer End, Miles Green, Scot Hay and Wood Lane, and the outlying hamlets of Dunkirk, Mill End, Shraley Brook, Eardley End, Coopers Green, Butters Green and Crackley Gates. The population of this parish at the 2011 census was 8,437.The parish elects councillors to Newcastle Borough Council for the Audley and Bignall End ward, and, with Betley and Balterley parishes, for the Halmerend ward.Audley village has seen national media coverage in recent years, due to Denise Leigh, a local blind amateur singer, winning the Operatunity television programme, and becoming an opera singer. The village is also the home of acclaimed graphic novelist Andi Watson.